Witness a total solar eclipse in Argentina and visit the beautiful region of Salta

Experiencing a total solar eclipse is a truly special experience. As the moon moves between the sun and the earth, the sky darkens, birds and animals become agitated and the heart palpitates in anticipation. It can be a very moving experience and one which is enriched by experiencing it in an exotic destination, such as the north west of Argentina. On 2 July 2019 a total solar eclipse will draw a path through the sky over parts of Argentina. Combine this astronomical event with a visit to one of Argentina's most scenic and lesser known regions.

Highlights

Total eclipse at Jachal

Visit one of the most important archaeological sites in Argentina, Shincal de Quimivil

Drive along exquisitely picturesque roads passing colourful gorges

Free time to explore Buenos Aires, a beautiful and cosmopolitan capital

Responsible Travel

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Every time we travel, we are part of a global movement that creates jobs, builds more sustainable societies, encourages cultural understanding and safeguards common natural and cultural heritage. To learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus click here…

Itinerary

Day 1

Depart London.

Day 2

Those on the group flight will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in Buenos Aires. Those on land only arrangements should make their own way to the start hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to choose one of the many excellent restaurants, most serving legendary Argentine steaks!

Comfortable Hotel

Day 3

Our local leader will meet us today for a briefing and take us on a short walking tour of the city, discovering its wealth of history and culture. In this walking tour the tour leader will show you the main sites and landmarks Buenos Aires can offer. The highlights of this tour are the famous Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron (Evita) is buried, the Colon Theatre and San Martin Square. Afterwards you will have the rest of the day at leisure to explore more of this fascinating city. Tonight we recommend visiting one of the excellent tango shows in the old quarter of San Telmo. Please ask your tour leader and they will help you to arrange it.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 4

After breakfast we take a short transfer to the domestic airport and board our flight to Salta. On arrival we make our way to the hotel and have some free time to eat lunch in one of many delicious restaurants in the city. In the afternoon we have a walking city tour that will visit the city highlights, including the old town hall, cathedral, the magnificent Franciscan convent and learn about the heroes and stories about the most beautiful town in Argentina.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 5

After breakfast we head south from Salta through the Obispo slope – an amazing feat of road engineering - to the route’s highest point (3348 metres above sea level), known as the Piedra Del Molino. From here we drive through the Los Cardones National Park, which is famous for its giant cacti (cardones) which dot the hillside, ranging in colour from dark green to deep red. Today's driving time is approx. 4-5 hours with plenty of stops to take photos. Or arrival in Cachi we will check in to our hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Standard Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 6

Today we drive to the sleepy town of Cafayate. We follow the National Route 40 through the spectacular Calchaquies Valley. We will stop off at the Valley of the Arrows and see where the rock strata has been forced upwards to look like arrowheads. As the sun sets, the mountains change colour, making this long driving day really worth while before we arrive at our hotel in Cafayate. Today's driving time is approx. 6 hrs.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 7

After breakfast we will begin our drive towards Belen. En route we will make a stop at the ruins of Quilmes, where we will have a guided tour. These are Calchaquí native ruins, a tribe who once lived amongst the Calchaquí mountain range. After the visit we will continue to our final destination, Belen. Today's driving time is approx. 5 hrs.

Standard Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 8

After breakfast we take a short transfer (approx. 30 minutes) to the impressive Shincal de Quimvil site. It is said to be the most important archaeological site in northern Argentina. Declared a national historical monument, various researchers discovered this site was an important administrative centre occupied by the Inca Empire between 1471 and 1536. After our visit we will continue on to Villa Union. We break up the journey with a few stops to take pictures of the dramatic desert landscape and the contrasting Andean mountains. Today's driving time is approx. 6 hours.

Standard Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 9

In the morning we will head past Talampaya National Park and visit its neighbour Ischigualasto Provincial Park, also known as Moon Valley. The highlight of this tour is climbing up the Cerro Morado, for really incredible panoramic views of the park. Hopefully we'll see condors soaring overhead too! In the afternoon we head back to our hotel in Villa Union.

Standard Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 10

After breakfast we have a short transfer before arriving at the spectacular Talampaya National Park. We spend most of the day exploring the highlight of the park, which is the Talampaya Canyon. This is a 150 metre high wall, where you can find many petroglyphs (rock carvings) as well as fossils which prove that dinosaurs lived here millions of years ago. We also cross a part of the park which can only be done in a vehicle accompanied by a national park guide.

In the afternoon we drive (approx. 2 hours) towards Jachal, where we will witness the eclipse. As tonight we will arrive late back at our hotel, we will have some free time to eat in town.

A total solar eclipse is one of the most spectacular celestial events visible from Earth and can, for many people, be quite an emotional experience. We head out to our viewing spot as the eclipse takes place between 16:26 and 18:47 with totality commencing at 17:40 and ending at 17:42. Don’t forget your eclipse glasses (which we will send to you before the trip).

After the eclipse we will drive (approx. 2 hours) back to our hotel for the night.

Standard Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 11

Depending upon the flight time, we may have some free time at the hotel this morning before we transfer (approx. 3-5 hours) to San Juan airport. We fly back to Buenos Aires and usually arrive in time to explore more of this fascinating city.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals included:
Breakfast

Day 12

This is a free day to either spend exploring Buenos Aires or you can also book an optional tour to spend a day in the countryside. We recommend the full day trip to visit an estancia 'working ranch' in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. At the estancia you will have the opportunity to go horseriding, watch a game of Polo or even have a Polo lesson. Please ask your tour leader, and they will help you to arrange it.

Post-trip Extensions

Iguazu Falls Extension

Code:
XAF

To the far North East of Argentina, boarding Brazil lies the magnificent falls of Iguazu (or Iguassu). Add four additional days to your trip to experience this awe-inspiring sight. Staying on the Argentinian side you will have the opportunity to wander around this UNESCO World Heritage National Park packed full of flora and fauna. In the heart of the park you will find the cascading waters. This spectacular waterfall is not to be missed. You can also get up close to the falls by taking a boat trip as an optional extra.

It is possible to upgrade to premium accommodation- please call for details.

Essential Info

Visas

Argentina

All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay.

No visa required for holders of British passport.

If you are crossing the border into Argentina from Chile on your trip, we will need to know your profession in order to provide when entering Argentina.

The Argentine government charges a reciprocity fee which applies to Canadian and Australian citizens. The amounts are as follows: Australians - US$100 (multiple entry) Canadians - US$75 (single entry) This fee must be paid before you enter Argentina. For full details, and to make the payment, please visit: https://virtual.provinciapagos.com.ar/ArgentineTaxes

Vaccinations

Argentina

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.

Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers in Argentina, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.

Dengue fever is also a known risk in Argentina. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Due to a recent outbreak of Yellow Fever in the Misiones province of Argentina, vaccinations are strongly recommended if you intend to visit the Iguazu Falls.

Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. For the latest information please visit www.exodus.co.uk/zika‐virus‐q‐a .

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts and 2 lunches included.

Hotel breakfasts are normally buffet-style and are included. There are 2 packed lunches included. These will consist of a sandwich or empanada, fruit, cereal bar or chocolate bar and a bottle of water or juice.

There is a variety of good, quality food on offer in local restaurants. In each location where we stay there are numerous evening meal options to cater for different tastes. The group leader will be able to make recommendations and often everyone will eat together, however you can choose to dine wherever you prefer in the evenings. Please advise us at the time of booking if you have any special dietary requirements. Vegetarians are catered for throughout the trip, but please ensure that you advise us before you travel so that we can make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.

Argentine steak is famous around the world and you will not be disappointed, especially if you combine it with locally produced Malbec.

We suggest that you allow about US$20 per meal (excluding alcohol) to eat at restaurants throughout the trip.

Weather

Winter in Salta is June to August. Our departure is scheduled in June/July where the average temperature is about 20ºC during day and 5ºC at night.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is a one-off departure to coincide with the total solar eclipse of July 2019. We have two internal flights on this trip, but there are still 4 long drives. The longest transfers are from Salta to Cachi on Day 4, Cachi to Cafayate on Day 5, Cafayate to Belen on Day 6 and Belen to Villa Union on Day 7. These transfers are approx. 5-6 hours including stops to take pictures.

On day 6 we visit the Quilmes ruins and to walk around the site, it will take approximately 1 hour. Including walking up the hill to get a great panoramic view of the site.

The weather in San Juan is fairly constant year round so whilst there are good chances of clear skies for the eclipse we cannot guarantee that there will not be some cloud cover.

Please note there is another eclipse trip available, which includes Mendoza instead of the Salta region. Although there will be an overlap with this group in Buenos Aires and Villa Union, both groups will each have a separate tour leader.

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Dates & Prices

An overview of flight options

Exodus is committed to making joining our tours as easy as possible, wherever you live. We generally only block book seats from London, but this certainly does not mean that you need to fly from there. Depending on the route and airlines available, there will usually be various options available for those who want to fly from their local airport.

This page aims to provide a useful overview of the options available to our clients. However, the best flight arrangements should be tailored to your personal requirements, so please contact our Sales team for expert advice.

What kind of options do I have ?

1. We can book for you: Flights from anywhere in the world - not via London

Depending on the route, this may be direct or via an overseas hub like Amsterdam, the Middle East or elsewhere. On short haul routes there may be direct flights with low cost airlines, charter flights or scheduled airlines. Exodus can book most, but not all, of these for you. The most appropriate airline may be different to that which we use for the group flight from London, but many people now travel on different airlines and meet up with their fellow passengers at the destination.

Pros

Cons

May be the most direct route

Often the extra fare compared to the London flight is minimal.

As you will be in the hands a single airline for your entire journey, the airline will be responsible for your bags and your connections.

You may not be able to join the group transfers. However, we can usually arrange private transfers, or book your flights to try and coincide with the group transfers. See notes on transfer arrangements below.

2. We can book for you: Connecting flights from your local airport to London

Exodus can book connecting flights to London so you can join the group flight there. Connecting times will be followed according to airline advice, or as requested by clients. There are two types of fares we can use for this option: a 'through-fare' or a 'published fare'.

a) A 'through-fare' is where you will be in the main airline's care throughout. You change planes, but your bags are checked all the way through to your final destination.

b) A 'published fare' ticket is completely seperate from your onward ticket from London. It is usually cheaper than a through-fare but will need to be paid for and issued as soon as it is booked. This can be a problem if your tour has not yet reached minimum numbers. On 'published fares' neither airline is aware that you have connecting flights, so Exodus is responsible for timing your connection, not the airlines involved. The tickets are also usually non changeable and non refundable.

Pros

Cons

Depending on the fare type, Exodus or the airline is responsible for flight connections.

Through fare tickets can be expensive.

On a published fare, tickets must be issued immediately; tickets on published fares can be very difficult to change if onward flight times change; bags are not checked though to your final destination.

Published fares are non-refundable.

3. Booking some or all of the flights yourself

You can also book connecting air travel yourself, either to London, or all the way to the start point. There may be certain airlines or routes we don't have access to, so this is always an option. However, if you make your own travel arrangements you become liable for any delays, cancellations or missed connections, and Exodus is not required to offer refunds if you have trouble reaching the start of your trip.

Pros

Cons

You might find cheaper fares, or routes not available to Exodus.

You are responsible for any delays or missed connections, and the cost of the tour is not protected should you miss your flight be cancelled.

Notes on transfer arrangements

Sometimes it is possible to travel on a different airline to the group flight from London. Where this is the case, we need to think about ensuring you meet up with the group with minimum extra cost and hassle.

On certain trips, it is easy to arrive on a different flight and still meet the group at the hotel with time in hand. We can usually arrange private transfers (at extra cost) or offer advice on taking a taxi to the start hotel.

On other trips (especially in Europe), the transfer meets the group flight and then travels some distance to the first night's accommodation. Where this is the case, our Sales team will try to arrange flights that arrive before (and depart after) the group. However, we do have to make it clear in your final documentation that if your flights are delayed, the transfer cannot wait for you. While Exodus or our local operators will do what we can to help you reach the start point of the tour, any additional costs must be paid by the client.

Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate If you book arrangements other than an ATOL protected flight or a package holiday, the financial protection referred to above does not apply. Our ATOL number is 2582 and our ABTA number is Y0751.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the NHS has up-to-date advice on staying safe and healthy abroad. For more on security, local laws, plus passport and visa information, see https://travelaware.campaign.gov.uk